Nine Lives
by Kairyn Deliae
Summary: Wait a second! Batman? But we villains are so much more interesting! You know it's true. What's a matter? Cat got your tongue? A new Catwoman is about to make her mark. Poor Terry won't know what hit him. Liberal use of multi-canons. Follows Cat not Bat.
1. Chapter 1

**A/N: I always wanted to see a Catwoman Beyond type story told from Catwoman's perspective yet not in first person. So I decided to do it. I've been very liberal with which canon I've used, picking and choosing across different shows and verses. (I didn't think this too much of a problem) Also there will be appearances probably with members of other shows as well, including but not limited to Static Shock and Justice League. I hope you enjoy!**

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"Bah, I despise the rain." A teen with short black hair, currently drenched, grumbled as she crossed the street between the parking lot and a rather rundown building that had once been a fairly nice high-rise apartment complex. Her amber eyes quickly found the entrance she was looking for in the dim light of the street lamps and she hurried over.

She flicked her head to try and dislodge some of the water from her long eyelashes, she knew the mascara she wore was probably already streaming down her face but that was unavoidable. If she had thought it would rain today she would have worn waterproof but she hadn't.

She quickly produced a large brass key from her pocket and unlocked the door, ignoring the broken and outdated key card reader. Once inside she relocked the door and pushed her hair back to stop the drops from streaming down her face even more. "You were out late." A voice said from the top of the stairs. The teen looked up and saw the woman she'd grown to love as her own abusively harsh mother/grandmother figure. Her hair was pulled back into a simple style with half her grey hair falling around her shoulders while her still sharp blue eyes shone out from her wrinkled cheeks.

"It's raining cats and dogs out there." The teen replied pointing over her shoulder with her thumb.

The woman smiled and turned back towards the floor that she had claimed as 'hers' what with no other tenants to worry about. "Well, don't just stand there dripping." She called. "Come upstairs already."

The teen sighed and rolled her eyes but couldn't help but smile at the familiar tone in the older woman's voice. The teen hurried up the stairs, shedding the large coat as she did so and tossing it across a convenient chair. Her clothes were damp but the old coat had saved them from being completely dripping. The tight jeans she wore were a darker shade around the ankles and on a few other spots but her white tank top was mercifully dry. The last thing she needed was a wet see-though shirt. She found her dear friend sitting in her usual chair in one of the larger rooms and flopped down across the couch. "So, what's the business today, Selina?" The teen asked curiously as one of many cats in the place came up to investigate her.

"I've got something special in mind, Tabitha."

"Special? Do tell." The teen said with a smile as the cat rubbed his head against the teen's arm. "Will I get lots of pretty shiny things?"

"Not so much." Selina said petting the Siamese that jumped onto her lap. "Let's just say, we're going to teach you my favorite game."

Tabitha frowned slightly. "What kind of game?"

"Bat baiting." Selina replied with a smile.

"Bat?" Tabitha echoed. "As in ManBat or Batman?"

Selina's eyes twinkled with mischief. "Batman of course."

"Of course." Tabitha echoed to the cat she was petting. "How dare you ask for confirmation, 'Ris. I'm very disappointed in you." She continued as the cat looked up at her with thin slit green eyes. "And why do I want to taunt Batman you ask? Well that's just as silly a question. Clearly. Sooner or later we're going to come across him. Might as well make it sooner and on our terms." She said glancing at Selina to see the nod of confirmation.

"Now don't go and fall into the trap I did, Tabby." Selina warned waving her finger at the teen.

Tabitha frowned a bit. "Trap?"

Selina nodded in a sagely way. "The masks make it easy to imagine what you want. To imagine little things mean more than they should. Just don't fall in love and you'll be fine."

"I learned my lesson the first time." Tabitha grumbled. "Love is overrated. Just like truth."

"Hm, just watch yourself." Selina said.

Tabitha sighed and sat up. "Well, what exactly is the first order of business when baiting a bat?"

"You must let your interest be known." Selina informed holding up a flat metal cut out of a stylized cat's head. "Leave a calling card tonight and you'll have a bat on your tail soon enough."

Tabitha nodded and took the piece of metal and examined it carefully. It seemed plain enough, nothing obviously giving away where it came from other than its shape. "Okay, I'll get his attention. But then the real question is…why do you want it?" She asked looking at Selina curiously. "This Bat isn't the same one you were dealing with."

"No." Selina agreed. "But he's learning from him."

"How do you know?" Tabitha asked with a slight frown.

Selina smiled a bit wistfully. "That's what he does. Takes younger boys and girls under his wing and teaches them the trade. This is no different; he's just not there standing next to whoever is in that suit. I have a pretty good idea but that'll be you next task once you meet him."

"Finding out who he is?" Tabitha asked.

"That's right."

Tabitha shook her head. "Okay, I'm…confused. You know who the old Bats is right?" Selina nodded. "And he knows who you are." Another nod. "So, what's to stop him from telling new Bats who I am?"

"Simple, Tabby. He lost track of me years ago; probably thinks I'm dead. So, he would have no way of knowing who you are." Selina said logically. "Anyway, get going. The night isn't going to wait for you, you know."

Tabitha sighed and nodded before heading into the room next door. Several cats followed her but she paid them no mind. She was used to it. She quickly shed her clothes and started redressing herself. The skintight outfit was mildly uncomfortable to put on but after lots of practice she'd gotten the hang of it. First, the shorts that for some odd reason zipped up the back instead of the front. Then, the tight top that had a variety of belts keeping it tight to her body and had a zipper all the way up her neck. Her boots followed, buckling tight to her calves and thighs. Long gloves came next, strapping down around her wrists and biceps. She darkened out her eyes and made her face pale with makeup and put on another layer of black lipstick. Lastly, she pulled on the mask and tucked the loose strands of hair into the sides.

Tabitha glanced at herself in the mirror. At first, the cat ears poking out the top of the mask bothered her but now she was kind of proud of the signature passed on from her teacher. She grabbed a nearby belt and checked the metal claws at the end of her gloves. They were all there and sharp. She grabbed her belt of tricks and fastened her whip to the hook on the side and started went back to see if Selina had any last minute instructions. She was already gone when Tabitha looked in so the teen figured it was a no. Rolling her eyes Tabitha went to the nearest window and slipped outside, mind already churning with what pretty thing she'd be stealing tonight.


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N: Kinda short compared to my first but hopefully next chapter will be longer**

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Tabitha was perched on the ledge of an apartment building next to a stone gargoyle and taking temporary shelter from the rain. It hadn't let up at all and she was beginning to think the pitter-patter of rain drops against her head were there simply to mock her. It seemed the sort of thing the evil precipitation might do. Across the street was her target. A jewelry store with a very nice window display including a rather large diamond necklace. Just her sort of quick theft.

She'd only bother with the window front tonight as the whole point of this heist was to leave her calling card and get out. Tabitha jumped off the ledge and grabbed onto a flagpole as she dropped. She used it to fling herself towards another ledge where she landed in a soundless crouch. Grabbing the edge of the ledge she lowered herself as far as her arms would allow before letting go.

Her whip snapped up to catch the brace of an ancient air conditioning unit so that her fall turned into a swing. She caught a fire escape and climbed the rest of the way down to the street. Sometimes she wondered why Selina insisted on her using the old fashioned way but then she recalled how unreliable tech could sometimes be. It made sense to learn how to stop a fall. Just in case.

Tabitha quickly dashed across the street to the window front and smiled at the sparkling necklace on display. She splayed her hand and put her claws to the glass before slowly rotating. The diamond tipped claws sliced through the glass easily and she plucked the circular piece out before tossing it into the street where it shattered with a satisfying sound. She carefully stuck her hand through the hole and grabbed the necklace.

Alarms instantly sounded and Tabitha wrenched the necklace back and stuffed it into her pack before quickly tossing the cat shaped plate into the case and running full tilt down the street. A quick leap off a crate and she was on top of a dumpster. Another leap and she was climbing up a fire escape. She didn't pause before scrambling across several roofs and then into a stairwell.

That was the thing she'd never understood about the other criminals in Gotham. If they don't know who you are get someplace hidden and change. Really it wasn't that hard of an idea. Of course, in her situation the best she could do was remove the mask and gloves. The rest of her outfit, although a bit kinky, was not something the average person would take notice of at this time of night. It just looked like club gear to most people.

Tabitha quickly pulled off her gloves and mask and stuffed them into the pack at her waist before starting down the stairs. She'd have to walk now but, hey, nobody would know she was carrying stolen property. Simple heist. Done with ease. Now all she had to do was wait for the Bat to take her bait. She could see why this was Selina's favorite hobby. It added a level of excitement that just stealing things hadn't had.

It took her an hour to walk home. And when she got there she was completely drenched and not in the best of moods. She quickly dried off and fell onto her bed where she promptly fell asleep. The old fashioned alarm next to her head woke her with a metallic bell and she quickly slammed a hand against it.

It took far too much effort in her opinion to crawl out of bed and into the shower but she managed to do it. After a quick shower, Tabitha got dressed in jeans and a shirt but scowled when her hair dryer would do nothing when she turned it on. With an angry huff, Tabitha turned and stormed back towards the main room of the apartment she shared with her older sister. Her sister was sitting at the kitchen island drinking a coffee and reading the paper. "Look at me." Tabitha said. "I look like a drowned rat. I need my blow dryer."

"Pretend you're camping." Her sister replied absently.

"I _hate_ camping."

"Well, I hate instant coffee but I'm drinking it." The twenty five year old blonde replied holding up her mug slightly. Lauren, Tabitha's sister, was a secretary for a nearby accounting firm. Entirely too boring for Tabitha's taste but it was at least in accordance with the law.

"We can't keep living with no electricity. It's medieval. Emphasis on 'evil'." Tabitha said in clear frustration. "I thought you were going to pay the electric bill a week ago!"

Lauren sighed and put her paper down before looking over at Tabitha. "Tabby, this may come as a shock. But these things require money. Which we are in short supply of. I can't pay anything if I don't have any money to do so with."

Tabitha huffed in annoyance. "Lauren. I just gave you more money three days ago. Where did it go?"

"Babysitting." Was Lauren's reply.

Tabitha instantly shut up at that. She glanced over at the crib in the corner of the room and sighed heavily. "Low blow sister. Very low." She muttered before turning and going back to towel dry her hair as much as possible.


End file.
